Both Michigan and Michigan State make history with Sweet 16 tickets

Mar. 23, 2013
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Michigan guard Tim Hardaway Jr. dunks the ball in the second half against Virginia Commonwealth during the third round of the NCAA basketball tournament at The Palace. Michigan won 78-53. / Rick Osentoski, USA TODAY Sports

"It's pretty neat for our state to have two teams, playing in one of the greatest basketball facilities in the country here in Detroit. I thought that was pretty awesome."

This is MSU's 11th Sweet 16 appearance under Izzo. UM advances to this round for the first time since 1994. The rival programs helped the Big Ten move to 8-1 in the tournament.

"At the University of Michigan, we want to be champions, we're trying for Big Ten championships," coach John Beilein said. "And when you get in the NCAA tournament, you're trying to do the exact same thing."

The Wolverines (28-7) and Spartans (27-8) vanquished the visitors in blue-collar style. What else would you expect in the home of the auto industry?

Michigan held VCU (27-9) to 39.7% shooting and won the rebounding battle 41-24.

MSU was even more dominant defensively and on the glass, holding the Tigers (31-5) to 29.7% shooting and beating them 49-29 on the boards.

The locals loved it when Michigan's Mitch McGary set a screen that sent VCU guard Briante Weber crashing to the court.

"I set a good, hard screen and the man happened to run into my chest," said a smiling McGary, who starred with 21 points and 14 rebounds, making 10 of 11 shots including a series of dunks. "It was a legal screen I didn't mean intentionally for him to fall down, but it happened."

Later, the crowd seemed to feed off the fact that MSU teammates Derrick Nix and Keith Appling, friends and roommates, got into a tiff during a timeout. An animated Nix whipped a towel at Appling in anger while Izzo discussed strategy. Appling fired back. Izzo just kept on talking.

Like brothers battling in the basement, dad seemed content to let them sort it out on their own. At Michigan State there's a history of good things happening after a little healthy family disagreement. Best pals Mateen Cleaves and Morris Peterson got into an argument that turned physical in a locker room right here at the Palace during the 2000 NCAA tournament. A little over a week later, the Spartans were NCAA champions.

It was a homespun atmosphere, the stands stocked with 21,723 fans splashed in equal parts blue and green, coexisting in unusual synergy.

The Wolverines and Spartans split their two games this year, MSU routing Michigan 75-52 in East Lansing, UM prevailing 58-57 in Ann Arbor.

On this day, on a neutral court, everyone who resides in the state went home happy.

"So sick that Michigan and Michigan state are in sweet 16!" Tweeted @CahilKrajniak. "Big ten representing. And representing Michigan as a state!" "Put your hatred aside for UM/MSU for a sec, both are in sweet 16. Both won their matchups handily. Great day for the state of Michigan," Tweeted @SammyMacAttack.

The teams separate for the next leg on the road to the Final Four in Atlanta.

Michigan heads to Arlington, Texas, to face the winner of Kansas-North Carolina for a berth in the Elite Eight. MSU moves to Indianapolis to face the Duke-Creighton victor.

For all the symmetry Saturday, there was one area where the teams differed greatly in their third-round games - at point guard.

Michigan's Trey Burke, who took a nasty fall after being undercut in a second-round win against South Dakota State, showed no ill-effects. He appeared in sync against the Rams, striking for 18 points and seven assists. VCU made him turn the ball over seven times, but Burke got the best of coach Shaka Smart's opportunistic approach, known as havoc.

"I knew that they were going to bring it," Burke said. "I knew that they were going to run and jump and turn me over. I knew it wasn't going to be a perfect game for any of us. So I just tried to find different ways to attack it, find different ways to get the ball in the middle. Get out of transition to get numbers."

MSU's Appling, meanwhile, had to leave Saturday's game after suffering a right shoulder injury. Appling managed just two points and a pair of assists in 28 minutes. He is expected to be OK for the round of 16.

"He'll be sore for a day or two, " MSU team physician Jeff Kovan said. "But he'll play on."